writerish person and beautiful weirdo

Entries tagged with little wolf

Another free short story, because I thought it was here, but it was only on my tumblr. (So many snippets are only on tumblr, but I'm not sure how many are worth bringing over, or would officially be "canon")

This is set sometime after the events of Little Wolf and a Mate of One's Own.

I've noticed some people reading Beings books lately, along with some comments that lead me to think some people are confused. Or maybe just not the sort of people to dig around in my old posts to find information. Which is fair. I mean, I probably should build a website, but then I'm like, I'm not the sort of big name author who needs one. (Also, I'd rather be writing then doing building things or promoting things. It's true.) I do have my livejournal/goodreads reposts, and my tumblr, where things are (mostly) tagged. But yeah, I do need to set something up for that. SIGH. In the meantime...

THE BEINGS 'VERSE EXPLANATION POST!!

Q: What is the Beings 'Verse?

A: Imagine a world just like ours, but where the magical creatures of legend (like fairies and elves and werewolves) are real, and they live openly (for the most part) with humans. But, they haven't always done so. The creatures, referred to by humans as beings, only came out of hiding when they were forced to. This happened in Europe during World War I, and panicked humans were not very accepting, so most beings live on the fringes of mainstream human society. They are idolized for their beauty and power, but also feared and mocked. Humans also do not distinguish much between the legends around these creatures and the reality of them. Over time, even the beings aren't sure about themselves.

All cultures have these creatures, and different histories with them. Some clearly worshiped their beings as gods or something godlike. Others revered them. Others told stories about encounters with them, where the beings could be benevolent or cruel or loving or petty--you know, just like humans. This is where fairy tales come from.

But then, as humans grew in strength and numbers, they stopped taking such care with these beings. They destroyed the forests where they lived, or drove the werewolves from their lands. Many of these humans, especially in Europe, when Christianity/the Church became a dominant political force, and then through colonization and imperialism, became a dominant force in most other countries, outright rejected the beings. Because the beings are different. They love indiscriminately. Some of them are naked. Their morality has its own rules. They view things like gender, and sexuality, in ways that these humans did not want to understand. So the humans called them evil, or banned the stories of them, and they did the same to humans who were similar to the beings.

But, when those cruel, powerful humans brought war to the entire globe, the beings had no place left to hide. Of course, some had never hidden in the first place, or had continued on as they were under the noses of European occupiers, but that is a story for another time.*cough*

Some of the beings remember their history, and others do not. Because they aren't represented accurately (or sometimes at all) in human media, many of them now believe the horrible things said about them. Others are fighting to prove what they really are. Alongside these beings, you have the humans who are like, or who love them.

Q: Are you some kind of nerd?

A: Yes. Obviously.

The Books:

Q: How many books are there?

A: 6 as of now. 7 is on its way. I am working on 8. (I started it this week! Aaaah!)

Q: Do the books need to be read in order?

A: No. They are written as standalones. HOWEVER, I do think people will understand certain references better if at least some of the books are read in the order they were published. AND, there are moments with recurring characters and themes that will make more sense if you've read everything. But no, it's not necessary to have read, say, Some of Kind of Magic before you read A Boy and His Dragon or Little Wolf. (In fact, I don't think most people do.)

Book 1: Some Kind of Magic

A novella set in Los Cerros, a town with a significant being population, and which is considered a liberal town for that reason. A werewolf protects the things he loves, even from himself, if necessary. Features Ray Branigan, who is only the second being to ever make detective in Los Cerros. It also features lots of prejudice against beings, especially werewolves and fairies. Prejudices so strong even the beings have started to believe them. (Bad, Ray! Very bad! That is no way to treat your mate!)

Book 2: A Boy and His Dragon

Set in Madera, about an hour away from Los Cerros. About a human boy with a noble heart, and the nerdy dragon history lecturer who adores him. Humans have lost the language to communcate with beings, so it takes our human boy, the lovely Arthur, some time to realize what a dragon might mean by calling him treasure.

Book 3: A Beginner's Guide to Wooing Your Mate

Wolf's Paw, a town several hours from Los Cerros, is a town run by, and for, werewolves. If you're a human wizard, you might not feel very comfortable there. If you're a shy werewolf, you might feel like a bit of a failure for not getting your mate to love you. This story really starts to explain the idea of mating as werewolves view it. (Ray isn't really the explaining things type.) This is important because of

Book 4: Little Wolf

In which the toxic ideals about how werewolves ought to act have traumatized a young were to the point where he cannot recognize the mate in front of him. I cannot with this story. The real concept of mating (and treasure, and shine, and true love) finally starts to become more clear. It helps when you have a werewolf who acts more human than wolf.

(Book 4.5: A Mate of One's Own. A short story about Zoe, Little Wolf's friend, and her discovery of her mate.)

(Little Prince--a silly short version of Little Wolf I did, in which they are not werewolves. Very silly.)

Book 5: The Firebird and Other Stories

HOLY SHIT. Okay. This book... this book is readable without the other ones, but I personally would advise reading it after you have at least read one or two of the others. (I know some people didn't do that and still enjoyed it. But I'm just saying, it was written as I was writing the other stories and there are some tie ins.)

Basically, this book of short stories is about the beings shortly after they emerged from hiding, to the present day. Has lots of cameos, and except for two of the stories, is set in Los Cerros. LOTS of ideas about love and mating and hope in this story, which is good because there are a lot of horrible things humans have done to each other (and to the beings) throughout history. That hope is so, so necessary.

(Book 5.5: Frangipani and the Very Shiny Boy. A short story about a fairy desperately trying to get a boy's affection.)

Book 6: A Dandelion for Tulip

Back in Madera, with a human who is finally attempting to discover the real history between humans and beings, and the fairy who loves him. Further explores the idea of shine. Features a lot of callbacks to the ideas from the previous stories. And some cameos. Were you curious about fairies? Well this is the book for you, then. :)

Book 7: Treasure for Treasure

In which there is a small town that belongs to dragons--even though the dragons seems to have forgotten about it. One small, very determined dragon is going to have to prove to everyone that he will properly care for this treasure.

Book 8: (Well, wouldn't you like to know?)

And that is it for now. I do actually have a Beings 'Verse timeline in my notes, but it's incomplete, so in the future, I might repost all this and add it. I was also going to talk about Hottie Scotty and Mr Porter, but they are not beings, so I won't for now. Maybe this weekend.)

So.... I got a little obsessed with something I was working on and disappeared again. It's a thing I do, and it's how the stories Come to Be, but if you ever want to bug me or just pop in and lurk to see what I am doing, you can always go check out my Tumblr. Sweetfirebird

Lots of randomness happens over there in the strange lands of tumblring. Mostly I reblog geeky things, or fannish things, or ranty liberal things, and in between I make comments about what I am currently working on. Also people sometimes Message me or send me Asks about book stuff, which you are all always free to do. (You could also do this on Goodreads, or here, or Facebook, but that seems to be pretty rare. And I don't think LJ even notifies me about messages. Sigh.) Anyway. The Tumblr. You can even ask stuff anonymously if you want.

All right. Now. back to deets, which is very important they tell me.

The next book in the Being(s) in Love series is coming out at the end of June. A Dandelion for Tulip is released on June 24th. What's it about? Well, there is a doctoral student named David, who is so very much in love with a fairy named Tulip. But, Tulip doesn't date humans.

Of course, there's a reason for that. But poor David doesn't know it. And he isn't going to ask, because of some past heartbreak of his own. It's, um, a little awful, to be the kind of noble, pure soul who attracts Beings and who shines in every fairy's eyes. (I mean, ask Arthur. He'll tell you. It means more than you being nice or kind, it means you are brave enough to continue trying to be a good person, and that... is one of the most painful things you can do. The shiny ones are in such need of a fairy's care. It's a shame that some fairies are incapable of staying for long, but can make you feel like they might.)

(Also, I should point out for those own/want to own the paperbacks, the paperback preorders are on sale right now.)

Aaaaanyway. I submitted my sugarbaby dragon to DS and I'm waiting to hear back. So that would be the next Being(s) novel if they like it. Dragons!

In other Beings news. The Little Wolf audiobook is available on Audible. Apparently, it is 19 hours long (hotchi motchie!) and from what I've been told, the narrator had complete fun with it. I, of course, turn into a weird anxious baby when it comes to things like that and can't actually listen to the audiobook.

(If audiobooks *are* your thing, however, Dancing Lessons is now also available in audiobook form, also at Audible. And no, I haven't listened to it either. Someone tell me if it has a soft Chico.)

And, uh, I just finished something that was going to be a short something, but of course went a little longer because it's me. I hope to put it up on Amazon soon. Basically... me rereading my beloved LMM short stories, and thinking, oh wouldn't one of those be great, but set now, and queer, and maybe a bit kinky? Hmm. Not sure I succeeded there, but I did try. That should count for something.

And now for something completely different:

On a personal note, as someone who does NOT like discussing private matters (and who considers almost everything private), and who is also intensely anxiety ridden in social situations, I have a very small group of real llife and in person (not internet) friends, and one of them, knowing me, and just being supportive and lovely in an unspoken way, sent me a link to the Pride Converse. And while I have issues with commercialism in general and in this area, (and pieces of canvas costing $60-70) I also love Converse, and am one of those demi/bi what-have-yous--which is obvious if you know me, but not something I really talk about for the above reasons (and you know, to be left alone at work and not have my hours reduced etc). Anyway, the link was intended as a 'I know. I love you. And these shoes are cool, you could maybe get some?') and I am just so pleased and have been quietly atwitter about it all day today. So. Sharing.

NOW LET'S NEVER TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN. FEELINGS? WHAT ARE THEY? I DO NOT KNOW.

I am going to put more cherries in my ginger ale and read silly hockey boys in love.

Uh. Well. I have mood issues anyway that tend to get in the way, but I guess I had a really productive year, and the past two months my brain decided to take a vacation. Not entirely sure it's fully back online, but I finally (FINALLY) wrote a little something the other day, and I feel so much better about everything. I might even submit Tulip this month if I can find the time.

Although, you guys might have things to say about that one. If anybody is still reading the Beings by that point (months from now, if it gets accepted), you are most likely to going to demand stuff about the side characters. One or two in particular. Ahem.

In other news, both Dancing Lessons (out in January) and The Winter Prince (out in February, I think) have covers. AND Little Wolf (that little punkbutt) is getting an audiobook. Pity the narrator who has to read all that mate on mate werewolf action. Poor man.

Wanna see the covers?

I'm partial to the Dancing Lessons one, although I am most eager for The Winter Prince to come out, because I wantneedwantneed to talk about it with people. I don't know why. But Razin is a precious cinnamon bun. (Before you ask me, it's Rha-seen. Like the softest pronunciation ever. Because he is a cinnamon roll, too good for this world, too pure.)

Also Tulip. (Tentative title is A Dandelion for Tulip) Ah. Tulip. So patient. So shiny.

I should really stop writing stories about mutual pining but you can't make me, so there.

That's really it with me right now. Tryng to get through the holidays, wondering what will inspire me next. Will it be Zarrin the dragon and Joe, the hot barista who continues to pretend he doesn't know who Zarrin is even though he is a dragon and it's TERRIBLE? Will it Flor? Or Clem? Two very, very different fairies who need love? Albert? Will my brain want to skip the beings for a while and go on to Space Boyfriends? (Have I talked to you guys about Space Boyfriends? It was a Tumblr thing.) Hmm Flor is another cinnamon bun. I'm not sure who is good enough for him. Decisions!

The point is: I never know. But hopefully I will be back in the swing of things soon. And oh, I will try to edit that silly Will and Charlie Alternate Universe Christmas story I did last year so it's more readable.)

((And before I go, I just need to say, to one person on GR and Tumblr you know who you are... *hugs. because FEELINGS oh god so many feelings and now I run away*))

Yeeeeah so I meant to post the other snippets but I got distracted by a random novella I suddenly HAD to write about a fragile little sugarpuss and his flirty dance instructor. Yeah I don't even know. It just had to be done. Anyway. I submitted it to DS so we'll see if they like it. If not, who knows?

Meanwhile um... I had news. Oh right. So they are tentatively interested in more Beings audiobooks, so Some Kind of Magic is up next. Possibly out in September I think. For anyone who doesn't follow me on Tumblr, all you really missed was me porning Wicklow and Rhoades, as usual, and some cutesy bits of fluff, like Zoe from Little Wolf meeting her mate. Um. hmm you would also have missed me talking briefly about Tulip, and about how Tulip's story (finished) now requires a story for Flor as well. So that is happening. I have a list of things to write, but my brain interrupted and ordered me to the dancing thing first, and it's best to just let my brain do what it wants in these situations.

ANYWAY. I can't remember what snippets were from where, so have a snippety/notes/commentfic type thing from Tumblr.

So. Someone asked about Nathaniel quieting Tim without words. And I mused on the subject. (all typos left as they originally were)

First of all, congratulations to the giveaway winner, Ben! Hopefully USPS does not let us down.

Meanwhile, I asked for prompts for snippets over on my Tumblr. These are all Alternate Universe for existing stories. I did not include the Wicklow's Odyssey high school AU because it's more notes and squealing than a story, and the GODRIC AND BERTIE STAR-CROSSED LOVERS AU MADE ME SAD AND DOES NOT EXIST EXCEPT IN MY HEART.

Anyway. Thanks to everyone who keeps reading my stuff and who cares enough to give me fun prompts for the characters they like.

(Okay and LJ made me cut off one story because LJ sucks-so expect another snippet of Cory and Vincent later.... or remind me to post it. I may forget. And the Checking Out Love one as well)

(the AU in which Tommy and Tavio from Medium, Sweet, Extra Shot of Geek, meet at a party)

(It's open May 10th to May 12th. Which isn't a lot of time, because I really didn't think it through and I'm an idiot about these things. Sorry.)

Also, Dreamspinner is celebtrating its anniversary, so for this month they are offering discounts on certain writers and making certain collections available for a discount. May 8-14th all my titles will be 35% off. So enjoy that if you were planning on buying anything by moi.

Or, really, let's talk about talking about Little Wolf. As you may or may not know, the story of a little wolf in a certain familiar small town run by werewolves comes out on Friday the 8th. It's Being(s) in Love number four, which honestly I find so fascinating because I never intended it as a series, or thought I'd end up writing one. I blame Bertie.

Anyway. Friday the 8th. Little Wolf. Which is actually what I wrote first, and then thought maybe it would be nice for people to see Wolf's Paw (and Tim and Nathaniel) from an outside point of view, so I wrote A Beginner's Guide. Because for real the idea of a mate at first sight/sniff is cool and epic and everything and it makes my little heart flutter, but even in that there have to be complications. People in general do not know what they are doing when they are in love, or even in like, and I just wanted to explore that. And I maybe got a little carried away. With all that... and *cough* the sex scenes. Which... well I won't go into that.

Okay so in honor of this, I am going to do another Q&A session on Goodreads, on the page for Little Wolf. (Down where it says 'Ask the Goodreads Community a question about Little Wolf') (Or, as always, you can ask me stuff on my Tumblr. My ask box is open, and I believe I left it open to Anons as well.) Sunday the 10th (which is Mother's Day but I couldn't get the time off to drive up to see my mother so grrrr) is the day of the session. From let's say noon to whenever the questions trickle off or about 3pm, whichever comes first.

Sunday, May 10th, Q&A on Goodreads or Tumblr. 12-3 Pacific Time. Ask me about Beings or Little Wolf or whatever. I can't promise to reveal any spoilers, but you are welcome to ask because I am super excited about The Firebird and Other Stories and thinking of them makes me happy.

ALSO, for the first time, I will have a giveaway.(yeah. I am gonna try this whole giveaway thing. Oh god. Me doing technical things. Watch out, world.) I am about to list it on Goodreads, so check for it there. I will be giving away a signed paperback copy of Little Wolf. What will I sign it? No idea. I am terrible. I tried to sign the other books from the point of view of one of the characters, but I don't know that it worked out well. I think I just confused people.

And uh, yeah. I hope people come hang out and ask me weirdness about my weirdness. There is a discussion on my Tumblr right now about how fairies see shininess compared to werewolves sniffing a mate. I love it. It's so nerdy. And someone will get a book. One of these books,

*although hopefully your copy will not include any Beanie fur. She's claimed those books. She doesn't want to give them up.

Hey, everyone who hasn't yet seen my nerdy posts on Tumblr or Facebook, guess what? I've got a release date for Little Wolf. It's due out May 8.

Then at the end of this month I started editing Kazimir. Well, the collection of shorts, tentatively titled, The Firebird and Other Stories. (Also, hopefully, starting Tulip shortly before then. Oh Tulip. He has *presence*. Other fairies look out!)

Little Wolf (Nathaniel moons. Tim looks like a pissy, half-starved little thing, which is exactly what he is, really.)

Anyway, just a quick update. (And oh yes. I moved. Now it's the recovery. Sigh.) If you follow me on Tumblr, you got a cute, sort of porny, not really porny, kind of snippet with Will and Charlie the other day. Which is another reason to follow me there, if you needed one. I get why people don't. I mean, Tumblr is... Tumblr. But just putting it out there. Also if anyone ever wants to ask me anything, there are ways. Goodreads has a section (though my notifications only go through sometimes). There's my LJ. My Tumblr askbox. My Facebook. The link on the Dreamspinner author arcade. If you ever feel like contacting me, feel free, just keep in mind I am regular person with no secretary, so responses might take me a while, if I even see them. :):):)

A Beginner's Guide to Wooing Your Mate (Beings in Love #3) comes out Friday! Yay! Saturday evening/night I will be answering questions on Goodreads. I have been informed that you can use the Reader Q and A as a forum, so we are going to try that. Now, I am always available for questions on Goodreads, so if you miss this event (if it works out) you can still ask me stuff. You can even ask on Sunday since I will be around. (But, since I am getting ready to move, I am not going to be sitting in front of the computer.)

YAY! Talking to people about precious dorks in love! Yay! Release day!

In honor of A Beginner's Guide to Wooing Your Mate coming out this Friday, here, have a recipe.

For backstory, which won't make sense to anyone until the story is out, I imagine the Sheriff sitting with Zeki because he has no one else to talk to, and he ends up with some magical snickerdoodles. Trust me on this. Magical snickerdoodles. (Read the book, it will make sense.) With chocolate milk. Anyway. So Zeki asks Theo to write the recipe down.

Comforting the Sheriff About His Littlewolf Snickerdoodles

First steps: clear your counter space and set out your ingredients. Take a breath. Try not to think about anything. Then reach for what you need. (Zeki says this is when I center myself. I don't know about that. But when I found the Sheriff talking with Zeki, discussing his Littlewolf, it seemed only right to make him something to ease his pain. A lost mate is no small thing. And I did not wish to sense Zeki's guilt when I thought this, so I went to my kitchen. Snickerdoodles seemed the right thing to make, they are simple and quick and comforting when served warm. Mate is wonderful thing, for me now, for us. I want the Sheriff to feel comfort, even if he cannot have his mate. And now Zeki will read this and smile. He calls my recipes spells. He has notions I don't understand. But he insists I continue.)

Preheat your oven to 350°F.Mix butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl, until it's creamy and fluffy. You will know when it's right, just as you knew then.

But it's not yet ready. Turn to your dry ingredients. Littlewolf is a strange one. An outsider but smart. He blushes hot when he speaks of the Sheriff, something I understand when I think of Zeki. He stays with you, like flour on your finger tips. He seems strong, but he requires delicacy, I think, so sift the flour, cream of tart, baking soda, and salt together. Your touch must be light until it's time to blend the flour mixture into the butter and sugar.

This part makes me warm, which delights Zeki. But I know the Sheriff would think the same. He longs to be with his mate, of course he does. There is nothing simpler, and simple things are the hardest to get right. When he takes a bite of these cookies, he should feel that, but without the sadness of knowing it might not happen.

Chill the dough while you check the oven temperature and lay out parchment paper on the cookie sheets. Mix the cinnamon sugar together in a small bowl. Cinnamon for spice and heat (again, I am blushing, and again, Zeki is smiling at me.) Sugar for the sweetness in how Littlewolf speaks of the Sheriff. The Sheriff might not know, but the town does. I think... I think there is hope to be found.

Take out the dough and use a spoon to scoop out small amounts. Regular cookies would be about an inch, but these are smaller, just a bit, for a little wolf. Shape them into balls and then gently roll them in the cinnamon and sugar before placing them on your cookie sheet.

Bake ten minutes, or until the edges are light brown and firm but the middles are soft. Imagine a little wolf snapping and uncertain and worried and afraid. Imagine him defensive. Then remember his eyes when he spoke of Sheriff Neri, and the care he tries to hide.

Wait a few minutes, then serve warm to a reserved, troubled wolf only Zeki is brave enough to speak to, with a glass of cold chocolate milk if you have one. Chocolate for passion, for taste, for a thirst that cannot be quenched--yet.

(Set aside a handful for your mate to enjoy later. Try to ignore him when he calls you sweet and kind with his mouth full of crumbs. Kiss cinnamon and your own magic from the edge of his lips and wonder how something as basic as a cookie brought that wondering look to your clever, clever mate's dark eyes.)

Got an official release date for A Beginner's Guide to Wooing Your Mate! (Actually, I had it a few days ago, but I am distracted by RL stuff and in a weird between moods sort of place, so posting anything meaningful has been beyond me.)

March 13, people can get their hands on a baking werewolf and a very determined wizard with hair issues. A Beginner's Guide to Wooing Your Mate. It's a Being(s) in Love story, and it involves a town filled with werewolves who all insist that Mates find each other a certain way. BUT, f you've been reading the Beings stories, you should know by now that the theme is more how no one really knows anything when it comes it love, not even Beings. Not even fairies, and fairies see the truth. Tsk.

There are wet firemen and tasty sugar cookies and high school crushes gone awry and magic pie. Plus werewolves. And Violet. I can't forget Violet, a pixy drug store clerk, and those goddamn Greenleafs, being all pretty and hot like they are. And orgasmic brownies and sexual frustration cupcakes. And, uh, the Golden Girls. Did I mention wet firemen and werewolves?

Meanwhile, Little Wolf editing continues apace, and Dreamspinner is considering, maybe, the other thing, the weird thing I did, with the Beings shorts.

Anyway. So the thing comes out in March, which is when I will busiest and things will be the most chaotic, so... I was considering doing some sort of chat or something, but... that may or may not be possible. I'll let you know. (Goodreads doesn't seem to do chats anymore? Or something? So maybe not anyway.)

And now, I sleep, or try to. ...wait was I supposed to tell you all something else? I cannot even remember now. Oh when I get a chance (ha) I will put those snippets I did on Tumblr up on the free reads page of my LJ.

Editing editing editing. This is my life now. (Also prepping to move and staring woefully at apartment listings in my price range, but ah well. Hopefully all that will be settled soon. I like things settled. I am not a fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants kind of girl.)

I *think* there might be a galley run through of A Beginner's Guide left, or we might be done, because I saw no errors last time. The cover art is on its way. So... March. Definitely March. Will let you know when I know more. Like the date. :):):) Gentle baker werewolves and insistent, somewhat pushy wizards will be all yours.

Still editing Little Wolf. Round two starts... tonight probably. Or tomorrow after work. Little Wolf is long, so that will take a while.

In other news, to distract myself between edits, I did a short, fluffy bit of silly librarian love story. Well. The working title was "fluffy librarian smut thing" so that should tell you what you need to know.

Here is the actual description:

Jeremy is a grad student with a quick mind and insatiable thirst for knowledge. What he’s currently most curious about is the infamously strict librarian at the small private library attached to his university. He has a weakness for devastatingly clever jerks, so despite his looming thesis, Jeremy decides to pay the famous special collection—and its curator—a visit. But instead of an intimidating beast of a librarian, he finds the librarian’s soft-spoken assistant, Benj.

Quiet, shy, guys with pretty eyes and handmade cardigans are not Jeremy’s type. Jeremy is too smart, and weird, for anyone so sweet. He’d walk all over them, or find them boring after five minutes. Which doesn’t explain why he keeps coming back to the library, despite never once encountering the notoriously protective special collections librarian. Perhaps if he weren’t so distracted by Benj’s surprisingly impressive shoulders and the absolutely charming library he runs, he’d notice there’s more to Benj than knitted sweaters.

Or, as Coffeebuddha says, awkward turtles in like. Yeah there are in some serious like territory. Bordering on smitten. Okay, smitten.

Lots of nerdy, nerdy conversation (mostly one-sided) and longing stares and bending of the rules for the one you just don't want to leave.

I've been frantically working on finishing up the collection of short stories I wrote in the Being(s) In Love universe, and I submitted them today. It's not the usual thing Dreamspinner publishes, so we'll see if they want it. I hope so, if only because I'm kind of in love with some of those characters. (As I generally am when done writing. Sometimes it never goes away either. Chaaaaaaarlie.) It's basically glimpses of different beings (and some humans) during the hundred years since the beings emerged from hiding. Every story is linked and there are all sorts of cameos and references to the books. Like I said, kind of not what DS usually does. But I was compelled, I tell ya!

I have also, in this frenzied rush before I have deal with a bunch of personal stuff in the coming months, been doing that thing where my brain goes all over the place. So if you follow me on Tumblr, by now you have seen trying to match Beyonce songs to all my characters. Just ignore me when I do that. ...although I will now and forever think of Tim singing "Ego" about Nathaniel, and "Green Light" has always been Cal's song to Ray.

Anyway. It's official, A Beginner's Guide to Wooing Your Mate is due out in March, although I don't know the exact date yet. It will be Being(s) In Love #3. Here is the blurb:

Zeki Janowitz has returned to his hometown of Wolf’s Paw to start his wizarding career. Unfortunately, Wolf’s Paw, a werewolf refuge, follows centuries of tradition and shuns human magic and a very human Zeki. He knows he’s in for a struggle, but a part of him has always belonged in the mountain town, or rather belonged to Theo Greenleaf. Years away at school haven’t lessened Zeki’s crush on the quiet werewolf. When town gossip informs him Theo still suffers from his mate’s rejection and does not date, it does little to ease Zeki’s embarrassing feelings. He decides now’s the time to get the man he’s always wanted.

Werewolves usually don’t recover from losing their mates, and Theo barely pulled through by focusing on his love of baking. It’s a daily struggle, and Zeki’s return to Wolf’s Paw shatters his peace. Theo doesn’t know what to think when Zeki attempts to woo him, talking about his wizarding business and settling in town for good. It’s like Zeki doesn’t have a clue how his words years before left Theo a shell of a werewolf.

Beginners in love, Theo and Zeki must seduce each other with a bit of heavenly baking and magic.

And then a few months after that, Being(s) in Love #4 should come out. Little Wolf. Prepare yourselves. He is... um. He is.. spiky? Difficult? Scared and so in love he can't see straight but no one ever told him what love felt like? Aw.

That's all I have for updates for the moment, although I might try to do another interview or chat or something in March, or maybe later when Little Wolf comes out. (Yes, I have Tulip in mind still. And also a few other, non-being things if life gives me the time.)

Socially anxious Vincent has resigned himself to spending Thanksgiving alone this year, just him, the parade, and some pie. The last thing he expects is Cory, the handsome neighbor he's been daydreaming about, to knock on his door with a holiday crisis of his own. Vincent would love to help him, but he's afraid that the more time Cory spends with him, the sooner Vincent's anxiety will drive him away.

What he doesn't realize is that Cory finds Vincent's gentle ways adorable and has been waiting for a chance to talk with him. Cory also firmly believes that a day like Thanksgiving should be spent with the people you want to be around--and he wants to be around Vincent. If that means pretending to need help in order to coax Vincent from his apartment, then Cory is willing to do it. The only potential hitch in the plan is Vincent himself. Can Vincent gather the courage to go after what he wants? Or will he spend his Thanksgiving exactly as he planned, with only a pumpkin pie for company?

(Ugh. The cheese in that description! Shameless cheese!)

For those who don't follow me on Tumblr, you might not know that Dreamspinner has accepted both A Beginner's Guide to Wooing Your Mate *and* Little Wolf. Those are both Beings stories and they will be out next year. A Beginner's Guide first, for reasons that will be obvious when you read it.

This is yaaaay! news, I hope. Although it means I will basically be spending December editing two books. WOE. I have also been trying to finish a collection of Beings short stories... why I don't know but I wrote a few and then kept going. One more (I think) should finish the set. Then... idk. Something.

I still fully intend to do something for charity, but between the lifting at work and the typing, I am also trying to avoid carpal tunnel. (No word yet on the renewed date for the auction, but Carly Rose is still having health issues, so I'm hardly going to pressure her.)

Aaaaand, now I am going to reward myself for posting that story with some wine and pie.

Dreamspinner accepted "A Beginner's Guide to Wooing Your Mate" --shocking me more than anyone. Now, of course, I have even more doubt about it. Should I have made it longer? (It's only about a hundred pages.) Should I have given it an epilogue?

Sigh.

This is good news though. It also means that I had to submit the story that follows it, the story that wouldn't go away, "Little Wolf." (Which is over 300 pages somehow). I made myself submit it this evening. Now I have even more doubt, and eight weeks in which to feel it.

But that's okay. Feelings are good.

Speaking of which. I want all of you awesome people to know I'm okay. A little slow, at the moment. Some anxiety issues and some crying but okay. Good even. Better than I was. As I was just telling a kind anon, my mood swings usually aren't so sudden or dramatic and there was a lot of personal drama that made it worse. (It's still happening, in fact, but I finally remembered the ways I've learned to deal with things, and I feel better about starting to face all of it. Someday. For today it was enough to submit "Little Wolf" and make myself work out a little.) Anyway, I wanted to say again that you all have been amazing. To show my love, I thought I'd post this.

So on Tumblr last week, I tried to kick start my brain into active/writing mode again (it didn't really work. Everything was painstaking and slow and focusing sucked) but I did manage to answer three of the writing prompts people gave me.

Here is one. I will edit the other two and post them at a later date. (They were Will/Charlie prompts.)

The prompt was amnesia, and I chose Ray and Cal from "Some Kind of Magic" because lately, the Beings stories I've done have involved werewolves dealing with their instincts, and how they might trust their instincts, but they don't really understand them. Also there is a very, very vague "Little Wolf" reference in there, but it isn't a spoiler or anything.

Hey! I said I would pass on the release date when I found it out, aaaaand then I forgot. I am such fail. I can't even tell you. Tsk.

JULY 7. IT'S JULY 7. THE RELEASE DATE IS JULY 7. (Oh right the poison. The poison for Kuzco. The poison chosen especially to kill Kuzco. Kuzco's poison.)

Sorry about that. However, I've been informed that pre-ordering is possible. Which is good, because Dreamspinner sent me about twenty sheets to sign to put in the paperback copies. Now I just have to actually sign them. IDK. If I were Rhoades, and I were signing a book, I would sign with something smart and classical and Greek. If I were Wicklow, I'd probably just slash an "X" and be done with it. (Yes, I make things too complicated. I should just sign my name. But where is the fun in that?) I signed A Boy and His Dragon as if I were Bertie autographing books. Why can't Rhoades sign some books?

Still with me? Sorry. Scattered thinking today. But um, yes, July 7 for the release date. July 12 for my Meet the Author thing on Goodreads (not nervous about that at all oh wait I am actually incredibly nervous and trying not to think about it.)

In other news, Dreamspinner has a new Author Arcade feature going up, in which you can access information about the author more easily, including links to social media and all that. I haven't filled out my profile yet (shocker) but I will. :)

I also submitted a novella-ish Being(s) in Love story a few weeks ago. So hopefully they will want that and soon you will get to read about the baking werewolf in love. Then I am finishing up getting Little Wolf ready for submission (which, okay I just want it done). This exciting!! Even if, somehow, it ended up at about 360 pages. (!!!) This is too many pages. I know this. It's a nightmare and yet they are so cute and precious to me. We will see.

Tim watched Nathaniel take another steadying breath, then quickly glanced away when Nathaniel opened his eyes again. Tim wondered if he knew how Tim had been studying him, because his voice was as warm as his scent. “May I touch you?”

Tim had to be hearing things wrong. He tugged at his ears. “What? You’re asking to touch me?” He recognized that Nathaniel was trying to respect his feelings but that wasn’t a request Tim could be expected to answer calmly. He licked his mouth. “Yeah okay, sure, why not?” He could do breezy, really. Breathless-breezy, tense with anticipation-breezy. “Knock yourself out, you beautiful weirdo.”

Nathaniel crossed the rest of the space and stopped in front of him. Then he reached out and let his palm rest on Tim’s neck. “Beautiful weirdo?” he echoed, almost tenderly, and Tim pulled in a quiet breath. Nathaniel brushed his hand up over Tim’s throat, his fingertips trailing over Tim’s skin before he took his hand away.

By LC Chase. Sinful, sinful Rhoades. Ready to take Wicklow on an odyssey (in his pants, aaaw yeah).

So, as far as I know, all the editing and everything is done. Due out for sale... some time in July. I have no idea when exactly yet. Will let you know.

But speaking of July, I will be doing a "Meet the Author" for Dreamspinner in July, at Goodreads. I am... slightly terrified. I've never done anything like that. But I figure I can try it out, and if no one shows up or if (when) I do something awkward, I can drown my sorrows after, right? I kind of predict a few people showing up, mostly just to yell at me for all the unfinished and unpublished Beings stories on my hard drive.

Er, speaking of which. So I finally finished a complete draft of Little Wolf, then decided it was so long (so, so long!) because I had to explain the town it's set in. So I wrote a short story to explain the town. ...Which somehow became a novella. So now there's a random novella I hadn't planned on and I still need to edit down Little Wolf. Also I can't decide if the novella needs an epilogue. But at that length it would really be more of a small novel, and how the hell did I accidentally write a small novel about characters who didn't exist a month ago??? How is this my life? How is this my brain?

So. That happened. Werewolf. Wizard. Slight misunderstanding. Some brownies. I don't even know anymore. It has no plot, you guys. It's just soft pining for 57k. And meanwhile, there Little Wolf sits. Impatient. Glaring at me. Tapping his itty bitty foot. (He's not actually itty bitty.)

SIGH. But hey, in the meantime, if you guys feel like discussing your favorite magical shifter type romances, http://rainbowgoldreviews.wordpress.com/ is having a chat/discussion about them this weekend. I was invited but I have real world job (ick) and cannot attend. Someone should go represent dragons though. :)

Personal moment. Something to learn about me is that sometimes I disappear. It can be an introversion thing, or a focus on writing thing, but it can also be a negative thoughts/bad mental place thing. Sometimes it's a combination of all of those. The upside? I've been writing and editing a lot. The downside? Well, is the downside. Also I'm not really in the best place to judge what I've written when this happens. I only mention it because I'm never sure how much of an author's issues people want to hear about, or what is expected of an author's presence online, but I prefer to be honest about stuff like this. I can't be happy and upbeat all the time and I usually try to avoid posting when I'm like that. But I'm not hiding it, so much as I don't want to bring others down too. But, yeah, I vanish once in a while. jsyk.

You know when you have all the ideas and you just want to write everything and you can't because that just isn't possible but also because of Other Things and Real Life?

SIGH.

Hi! No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I've been focused on finally (FUCKING FINALLY) finishing a draft of Little Wolf. (Or whatever I decide to call it.) Talk about a story that got away from me. Oy! The thing is almost 400 pages so yes, I need to edit that a lot. Unfortunately I can't edit it right now because I'm busy editing Wicklow's Odyssey for your consideration and that is a lot of work too. So much work. At least Wicklow and Rhoades are lovely. (And the others, who really need porn of their own. I mean... romances of their own... and then porn. Then after I think about all that fun stuff I get to worrying that Wicklow and Rhoades and their story might be too weird for people. I think it's lovely but I'm such a nerd. And dork. Dorky nerd. My Tumblr is testament to this.)

The point being, never fear I have been working. And of course, the CUTEST fairy story popped into my head during all of this because I can't write it right now and that is always the way. (BUT HIS NAME IS TULIP AND I LOVE HIM. TULIP THE SOMEWHAT SHY FAIRY.HE NEEDS ALL THE PETS AND CUDDLES IN THE WORLD. FLOWER CROWNS MIGHT BE INVOLVED. I NEED TO STOP THE CAPSLOCK NOW, I KNOW. ahem.)

My brain might be a little fried from nonstop writing/editing. This is very possible. I apologize. Also, hey, everyone. I think Wicklow comes out in June or July. I want to be writing and I can't right now. That's all. Update over. :)

I never know what to say in these blog posts. Sure, if you want fannish squeeing and random pictures of food and porn there's always my Tumblr, but an author-y blog posts people are supposed to be more author-y, have things to say about writing or the world in general that aren't just notices about upcoming release dates, all that. Only honestly I know next to nothing about the publishing world, and I feel like everything else comes out in my stories anyway. What does that leave? Just the updates. *sigh* But, you know, they are exciting to me and exciting things are fun to share.

First things first, everyone knows I posted a free short story, right? Well, I did. It features a slightly cracky (a lot cracky) fairy tale version of two characters who have been TORMENTING ME FOR OVER A YEAR NOW.

Ahem. I suppose that is something to talk about. Some stories are like that. You know exactly what is going on and you're compelled to write them as quickly as you can get the words out and you remain obsessed with them even once you are done. Wicklow and Rhoades were like that for me. But other stories are just a big mess. They keep growing and nothing ends up as you originally planned until you finally make yourself finish after many stops and starts and then suddenly it's exactly how you wanted it. But different. Will and Charlie were more like that. Er, Nathaniel and Tim are apparently like that as well. They insisted on writing themselves and that is always a struggle.

And can I tell you how much I regret giving werewolves quick healing powers and a fast refractory period? And how much I regret writing a sexual frustrated, *incredibly* confused young werewolf? Because I have spent hours upon hours upon hours writing porn and I'm not done yet! At least they have kind of reached an understanding, the two of them. Soon Tim might even understand what cuddles are.

(He needs lessons. Wicklow, now, you could give Wickow cuddle lessons and he'd still stare at you like you're crazy... So, I write characters with space and touching issues. So I write characters with issues. Ah well. That isn't news.)

Hmm. Updates. So. Wicklow and Rhoades were accepted (yaaaaaaay!) Preliminary title: Wicklow's Odyssey. That might change. Expect Civil War Steampunk sometime in July or early August.

Meanwhile, I was sent notices that audiobooks are going to happen for both, "A Boy and His Dragon" and "Play It Again, Charlie." I even got to listen to some samples. That was thrilling! And anxiety-inducing. And strange. And fantastic. And I don't generally listen to audiobooks so I hope those turn out okay. I will let you guys know what they are coming out.

I continue to write Tim and Nathaniel (working title(s): Little Wolf. Or The Alpha of Wolf's Paw. Or What Wolves Do. Or... something chess related. Because when you think werewolves, you think, chess.) Getting closer to the end. Woo hoo! I still don't know what to do about my short Beings stories. I want to write a few more and put them all together, but then again I don't know if Dreamspinner would want that. I'm such a weird writer.

And um, oh hey. Conventions and things. Fun? Something people in more than a hang around the comic book booths kind of way? What kind of conventions do people go to where they want to interact with authors? *Do* they want to interact with authors? (Or m/m authors for that matter?) What's that like? I have only ever gone to one convention and it was a very large one and very expensive and well... I did not enjoy it much despite my nerdiness. So I am trying to see the appeal. They aren't something you can explore on a whim when you are on a budget.

So... I was writing Christmas snippets for people on Tumblr while also editing Little Wolf and someone asked for a fairy tale and what was meant to be a short thing turned into a slightly longer story.

Ah. Me and my weird brain.

Anyway, so, Little Wolf is an unfinished novel about a very confused little werewolf finding his mate and for whatever reason, he reminds me and Selenographics of a cracky fairy tale about a princess locked in a tower. Which is probably how this happened.

Little Prince (The Little Wolf Fairy Tale AU)

Summary: Prince Timothy is betrothed to Prince Nathaniel, who is handsome and kind and perfect. It's awful.